It's not too Late to Fund an Education Sponsorship

Sending kids to school who would otherwise have little chance of receiving an education is a worthwhile project.
Just a reminder that it's not too late for the 2013 school year, which starts soon. Your gift of $15 supplies one child with a uniform, shoes, exercise books, pens, a sweater and a back pack. Where could you find a better bargain? It will do your heart good knowing you are making a difference in the life of a child and these children are so grateful. 

I hope many of you will consider funding an education sponsorship.

A Birthday Wish

Last year for my 81st Birthday in December I requested Legos for the kids at Urukundo Village and the Cyakabiri Preschool and the response was wonderful.

For my 82nd birthday I am asking my family and friends to consider a monetary gift to help finish construction on the 3 classrooms at the yet unnamed Primary School.  The amount does not have to be great just a gift from the heart.

The gift can be sent to

HOPE MADE REAL
PO BOX 3222
WILLIAMSPORT, PA 17701

In memo line:  "school construction".

Thank You.

Greetings from Mama Arlene and the Urukundo Family for September 2012

Hello from Urukundo.

September has come and gone. I do miss the changing of the fall season in Pennsylvania. The foliage is so beautiful especially in Williamsport, Jersey Shore and the Lock Haven areas. Many times I drove up the Snow Shoe Mountains to visit my mother in Clearfield County and the colors near took my breath away.  The air is invigorating. No longer summer but not yet the cold of winter. A great time but short-lived. Reminiscing is a pleasure when the climate here stays constant summer. What differentiates the seasons here is rain or no rain. We are in the rainy time now and so are planting every inch of ground. With the freezer our friends from Canada bought for us, we hope to be able to freeze enough vegetables to carry us through the months of no gardens. This will cut down on the cost of fresh food. 

IT'S THE TIME

For all of you who support this project I am eternally grateful.

Sending kids to school who otherwise would have little chance of education is a worthwhile project.

Your gift of $15 supplies one child with a uniform, shoes, exercise books, pens, a sweater and a back pack. Where could you find a better bargain? It will do your heart good knowing you are making a difference in the life of a child and these children are so grateful. Every child should be able to read and write and reach their potential.

I hope many of you will consider these children when you make out your Christmas list.

Stones for the Path to Learning

September's new additions.

Progress on the Primary School

Progress on the first three classrooms of the Primary School.

Funding is needed.

Inside walls ready for finishing.

Front view - the metal sheet roof will be added soon.

The Pathway to Learning

To honor the SMU team.

There is no such thing as a lesser person.

Five stones were added in celebration and to honor Mama's five children in America.

A New and Safer Play Area for our Kids - In Process

Thanks to RAISED HANDS FOR AFRICA   Our children are watching a play area being developing for them and are making good use of it already. The mound of dirt under the bars is such fun. You can roll down the hill without getting hurt. The mound of dirt will be gone soon. We will have to think about that.

A good place to play hand games.

Exercise is good. Acrobatics are better.

Wheelbarrow with Soso thinking it might be good for a ride!

Claude standing up on top bars.

Watch Soso progress - he starts the climb.

Soso tries a different approach.

Making connection.

Success. Soso swings.  This little guy is amazing.

Primary School - First Building

There will be three classrooms, an outside toilet, a water harvest tank & outside paint.  The extra classroom, rain harvest tank and outside paint were not included in the cost of the first building we constructed for the preschool. These costs were added after construction was finished. The cost will be more than the anticipated cost and that pledged by our friends in Canada. We need additional funds to have the school ready by January 2013. Three classrooms is the requirement of the District.

Plan for our school

Dream along with me and the 6 year olds at Cyakabiri Preschool.   The 6 year olds will graduate from Preschool at the end of the next term if the Primary 1 classroom is ready to receive them. I am not sure the classrooms will be ready as we need assistance to get the school classrooms constructed.  The road giving access to the land is finished and the land is leveled and waiting. 

Community Education

Women in Rwanda want to learn English!

Urukundo Foundation will sponsor them.

• Women gather for the first meeting to learn more about ESL classes just for them.
• This proect is co-sponsored by AKILAH INSITUTE FOR WOMEN.
• The project is for mother with small children who want to learn English but have no funds for classes or funds for babysitters.
• The class is free with babysitting available for the small children while the mothers are in class.
  
• The new playground at the nursery will be a real blessing for these small children and our kids. 'RAISED HANDS FOR AFRICA', a not for profit in North Carolina, is constructing this play area for our children and children in the community.  This may be the introduction to a day care center for working mothers.  This day care center has been in the vision from the beginning but the time has not been right. 
• We will need to hire day helpers to care for the children of the mamas in the ESL classes and keep them busy.
• There is no telling where God is leading us.

If you are looking for a project to support this is a very worthwhile. Your support would be a great gift to many!

New Stones on the Path

Path to Learning

The Path to Learning continues to grow. Four new stones were added in June with two more on order.

UMW Saint Paul's State College, Pa.

Chanel is Mama's great-granddaughter. This stone is to honor her graduation from High School and start of University.

In Loving Memory.

This stone was a gift from Anita and Hyong Kim, who believe that education is the path to the future.

The children are some of the students who will attend the primary school. 

Ingoboka

Mothers' Day 2012 

I have been around for a lot of Mothers' Days but this one will stand strong in my memory.

Sharing their love for the children of Urukundo and their needs, two wonderful people - Vincent from Rwanda and Carol from the US - expressed in love how hard it is for Urukundo Foundation to meet emergencies when the budget is tight. This discussion took place at Pine Street UMC in Williamsport, PA, USA. Hearts reached out to a Mama with 43 kids, a full heart and a need for emergency help for such unforeseen events. This was the beginning of a Mothers' Day gift called the INGOBOKA FUND.

Please add this word to your dictionary.

My computer dictionary does not tell me what Ingoboka means. It says it is not a word. For me it is the most beautiful word not in the dictionary. 

My heart dictionary tells me it means "peace of mind and strengthening of faith".  

My Kinyarwanda dictionary says INGOBOKA is a very important word. Its meaning is "help where needed."

Yes, that is a very good definition and it fits the purpose of the fund. 

Words cannot express my love and gratitude to those who recognize that unexpected needs arise in every family. When that family consists of 43 live-in kids within a wider local community, those needs are many. The Ingoboka fund is "God's love in action".

Thanks to all who have taken this fund as their service project.

Mama Arlene